1. Field of the Invention:
This invention generally relates to connection devices between two adjacent rail vehicles, road vehicles or the like where the passenger traffic is made possible between the vehicles by the use of accordion vestibules or bridges which include protection from weather and noise. More specifically, this invention relates to a deformable device which permits vertical and/or horizontal relative movement between the floors of the adjacent vehicles. The deformable device is particularly advantageous when more than two of the vehicles are connected in a series, because many of the devices used in prior art are not applicable for such a configuration.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Generally, the connection between the different vehicle or car bodies, in particular, those used in tramways, is made possible by pivotal movement around a vertical axis of some type of interconnecting compartment. The interconnecting compartment would include cylindrical walls, a relatively flat ceiling and a horizontal floor to provide physical continuity with each vehicle as it rotates around an axis which is perpendicular to its floor. The pivoting of the floor of each vehicle relative to the floor of the interconnecting compartment occurs along two circular arcs which slide one over the other.
French Pat. No. 2 357 409 describes one advantageous embodiment of such a mechanism. The two halves of the interconnecting compartment are connected to one another by a horizontal, transverse axis located near the floor. Such a configuration ensures the physical continuity of the floors from one vehicle to the other by means of a hinge at the horizontal transversal axis which is preferably located on the load bearing cross-member of a central bogey. The result is a "universal" type connection between the vehicles which allows relative movement about two generally parallel vertical axes and the horizontal, transverse axis therebetween. If the track is uneven, the rolling torsion must then be absorbed by the suspensions of the end bogeys. The disadvantages of this device is that it cannot be used, for mechanical reasons, on a train consisting of more than two cars which, for example, travel the warped and twisted tracks of urban and mountain railways.
European Pat. No. 0 134 202 describes another embodiment of an interconnecting compartment wherein the chassis of the adjacent vehicles have a single common pivot point. The interconnecting compartment, which is represented by two halves which each include a semi-circular floor, is oriented by a device which bisects the angle between the two cars. These two interconnecting compartment floors permit buckling movements between the floors of the adjacent vehicles, even if there are more than two of them in a series. Although not described in the cited document, continuity between the two floors of the interconnecting compartment will be maintained if they are connected by some type of elastically deformable floor.
European Pat. No. 0 181 294 discloses an interconnecting compartment in which the buckling of a rigid floor thereof is basically made possible by a diagonally extending, flexible axis.
French Pat. No. 2 573 714 discloses a deformable floor which is basically supported by transverse bars which are fixed at their opposite ends by means of articulated parallelograms. If such a floor is to accommodate enormous deflections, in particularly, those resulting from shearing motions, between the vehicles to which it is secured, it must be very flexible, yet still quite strong. To be sufficiently strong, it would appear that such a floor would require additional support by additional transverse bars which would probably have to be extended through and thus fill the cells of the deformable floor which cells are essential to make deformation of the floor possible.
An analysis of the connection devices of the prior art indicates that there is a need for a load bearing, continuous floor for an interconnecting compartment between railway or road vehicles or cars. The floor should be capable of accommodating for misalignments caused by differences in operating levels of the vehicles, buckling motions between the vehicles and small changes in the connecting distance between the vehicles. Such a floor which can accommodate for these various types of misalignments might be applicable between any number of connection devices between vehicles. However, it would be particularly useful for a system which includes relative pivotal movement between the adjacent vehicles which occurs about two axes, each of which is generally perpendicular to the floor of its respective vehicles. Although the two axes would be generally parallel, during operation of the vehicle, the interconnecting compartment and the floor thereof would be subjected to differences in operating levels for the vehicles, buckling movements between their floors, and changing distances between the axes of rotation.